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The Son’s authority to give Life (Jn. 5: 19-30)

Jesus answered and said to them, “Amen, amen, I say to you, a son cannot do anything on his own, but only what he sees his father doing; for what he does, his son will do also. 20 For the Father loves his Son and shows him everything that he himself does, and he will show him greater works than these, so that you may be amazed. 21 For just as the Father raises the dead and gives life, so also does the Son give life to whomever he wishes. 22 Nor does the Father judge anyone, but he has given all judgment to his Son, 23 so that all may honor the Son just as they honor the Father. Whoever does not honor the Son does not honor the Father who sent him. 24 Amen, amen, I say to you, whoever hears my word and believes in the one who sent me has eternal life and will not come to condemnation, but has passed from death to life. 25 Amen, amen, I say to you, the hour is coming and is now here when the dead will hear the voice of the Son of God, and those who hear will live. 26 For just as the Father has life in himself, so also he gave to his Son the possession of life in himself. 27 And he gave him power to exercise judgment, because he is the Son of Man. 28 Do not be amazed at this, because the hour is coming in which all who are in the tombs will hear his voice 29 and will come out, those who have done good deeds to the resurrection of life, but those who have done wicked deeds to the resurrection of condemnation. 30 “I cannot do anything on my own; I judge as I hear, and my judgment is just, because I do not seek my own will but the will of the one who sent me. Witnesses to Jesus."

Jesus was challenged for healing on the Sabbath and his response was, “My Father is at work until now, so I am at work (Jn. 5:17).”  Jesus said that he did not act on his own authority but only on what his Father told him (vv. 19,30; Jn. 7:18).  His mission is to give life to those who believe.  The Father will show them “greater works than these (Jn. 1:50)" through the Son.  The Son gives life and judges (vv. 21-22; Jn. 3:36) and it is through the Son that the Father is honored.  Whoever hears Jesus’ word and believes comes to salvation (1 Jn. 3:14).  Those who are dead through sin will hear the voice of the Son of God and live (v. 25).  The Father has given the power of life and the power to judge to the Son (vv. 26-27).  Final judgment (the hour is coming) will be made by the Son of Man and those who have died will hear his voice and be raised to judgment (vv. 28-29; Dan. 12:2).  

Almighty God, your Son laid down his life for us so that we could believe in him and be reconciled to you.  We pray that when our journey of faith has ended, we will hear his voice and be raised to a new and everlasting life with you.  This we pray through Christ our Lord.  Amen!
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References
Chiu, José Enrique Aguilar, et al. The Paulist Biblical Commentary. Paulist Press, 2018.
Brown, Raymond Edward, et al. The New Jerome Biblical Commentary. Upper Saddle River, NJ, United States, Prentice Hall, 1990.

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